Sedum plant named ‘Noniw’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Sedum  plant, ‘Noniw’, characterized by its evergreen foliage that emerges bright yellow matures to light green during summer, and then during fall and winter the tips of the leaves turn red. Its flowers of late early summer are greenish yellow upon erect flat-topped inflorescences, atop stout, leafy, upright floral stems that emerge from a low-growing procumbent plant habit.

Botanical classification: Sedum reflexum.

Variety denomination: ‘Noniw’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications thatpertain to plants derived from the same parentage, the Applications areentitled Sedum Plant named ‘Nonal’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,412), SedumPlant named ‘Nonar’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,392), Sedum Plant named‘Noneb’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,413), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonen’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 23,648), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonic’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.23,394), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonist’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,411), SedumPlant named ‘Nonot’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,312), Sedum Plant named‘Nonow’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,323), Sedum Plant named ‘Nonul’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 23,381) and Sedum Plant named ‘Nonah’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 23,393).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During the last several decades, botanists and horticulturists havedisagreed as to whether the species Sedum reflexum and Sedum rupestreare truly distinct. An examination of today's most useful literature(Handbook of Cultivated Sedums by Ronald L. Evans, and Sedum CultivatedStonecrops by Ray Stephenson) is no different. Evans treats them asdistinct species and Stephenson refers to them as synonymous andcorrectly identified as Sedum rupestre. The Applicant, a biologist,sides with Evans, and believes that there are sufficient morphologicaldifferences between the two plants as to be easily distinguished and towarrant recognition as two distinct species. Therefore, because thesubject plant of this application is the result of cross breeding twocultivars, which conform to Evans's description of Sedum reflexum (mostnotably foliage that covers the entire length of the stem, vs. just thedistal end), the species, throughout this application, is referred to asSedum reflexum.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedumplant, botanically known as Sedum reflexum ‘Noniw’ and will be referredto hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Noniw’. The new cultivar of Sedumis a hardy herbaceous perennial grown for use as a landscape andcontainer plant and is particularly suitable as a ground cover. ‘Noniw’was bred and selected by the Inventor at the Inventor's nursery inNunica, Mich. ‘Noniw’ was selected as a single unique plant in March of2009 from amongst 10,000 seedlings that arose from a deliberate crossbetween Sedum reflexum ‘Angelina’ (not patented) as the female parentand an unnamed plant of Sedum reflexum as the male parent.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemcuttings in August of 2009 in Nunica, Mich. Propagation by cuttings andcrown division has determined the characteristics to be stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Noniw’ as a unique cultivar of Sedum.

-   -   1. ‘Noniw’ exhibits foliage that emerges bright yellow, matures        to light green during summer, then during fall and winter the        tips of the leaves turn red.    -   2. ‘Noniw’ exhibits flower buds that are greenish yellow.    -   3. ‘Noniw’ exhibits flat topped, somewhat drooping        inflorescences with flowers greenish yellow during early summer.    -   4. ‘Noniw’ exhibits a dense, low growing habit with foliage that        reaches 5 inches in height.

The male parent, an unnamed plant of Sedum reflexum, differs from‘Noniw’ in having gray-blue foliage during spring, summer, fall andwinter. The female parent, ‘Angelina’, differs in having chartreusefoliage that turns variably yellow, amber, or orange during the fall andwinter. ‘Noniw’ can be compared to other cultivars of Sedum reflexum(all are un-patented), which differ from ‘Noniw’ in the followingcharacteristics: ‘Green Spruce’; a weak grower that is colored darkgreen during spring summer and fall, and burgundy-green during winter,‘Sea Gold’; a weak growing cream and gray-blue variegated cultivar, and‘Sandy's Silver Crest’; a form that turns purple in strong sunlight andhas new growth of contrasting yellow-white.

‘Noniw’ can be compared to other cultivars selected amongst seedlingsfrom the same cross; ‘Nonist’, ‘Nonah’, ‘Nonal’, and ‘Nonar’. ‘Nonul’,‘Noneb’, ‘Nonen’, ‘Nonic’, and ‘Nonow’. ‘Nonist’ differs from ‘Noniw’ byhaving leaves that emerge blue-gray and change to blue-green in maturitybefore becoming suffused with red-purple during fall and winter. Itshabit reaches 6 to 7 inches tall. ‘Nonah’ differs from ‘Noniw’ by havingleaves that emerge yellow-green often variably suffused with purple-redand holds this color throughout summer. During fall and winter thepurple red hues intensify. Its growth habit 6 inches tall. ‘Nonal’differs from ‘Noniw’ in having leaves that emerge clear yellow and stayclear yellow throughout summer. During late fall and winter it becomesvariably suffused with red-purple. Its growth habit reaches 5 inchestall. ‘Nonar’ differs from ‘Noniw’ in that it has leaves that emergebright yellow and stay bright yellow color until fall and winter whenthey change to hues of burnt orange. The exception is the leaves on thelower ⅔ of the floral stem, which are suffused with burnt orange duringthe summer. Its growth habit reaches 4 inches tall. ‘Nonul’ differs from‘Noniw’ by having leaves emerge pale bluish-green and stay pale bluishgreen throughout summer. During fall and winter the leaves becomevariably suffused with grayed-purple hues. Its growth habit reaches 5inches tall. Nonot’ differs from ‘Noniw’ by having leaves that emergechartreuse-yellow and stay chartreuse-yellow throughout summer. Duringfall and winter the leaves become variably suffused with red-purple. Itsgrowth habit reaches 7 inches tall. ‘Noneb’ differs from ‘Noniw’ byhaving leaves that emerge gray-green and mature to medium blue variablysuffused with red-purple before changing predominantly to red-purpleduring late fall and winter. Its growth habit reaches 5 inches tall.‘Nonen’ differs from ‘Noniw’ by having leaves that emerge vibrantspring-green and stay this color during summer, fall, and winter. Itsgrowth habit reaches 5 inches tall. ‘Nonic’ differs from ‘Noniw’ byhaving leaves that emerge sky-blue and stay sky-blue during summer untilfall when they change to violet-blue. Its growth habit reaches 4 inchestall. ‘Nonow’ differs from ‘Noniw’ by having leaves that emergechartreuse and mature to mid-green and stays mid-green throughoutsummer, fall and winter. Its growth habit reaches 7 inches in height.All eleven cultivars have flat topped, somewhat dropping inflorescences,borne on leafy upright stems. All have flower buds that are brightyellow and flower petals that are bright lemon yellow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Sedum. The photograph was takenof a 2 year-old plant of ‘Noniw’ as grown in the ground in full sun inNunica, Mich.

The photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates the late spring foliage of ‘Noniw’as it is just starting to turn. The colors in the photograph may differslightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription, which accurately describe the colors of the new Sedum usingThe R.H.S. Colour Chart.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observedon 2 year-old plants of ‘Noniw’ as grown in the ground in full sun inNunica, Mich. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2001 R.H.S. Colour chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general colorterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—The last two to three weeks of June to the            first or second week of July in Michigan.        -   Plant habit.—Evergreen perennial, dense, low growing habit,            mature plant sprawls from central crown with procumbent            stems rooting as they contact the ground.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 5 inches in height            (foliage)and 7 inches in bloom, maximum spread in about 20            inches.        -   Hardiness.—Reliably in U.S.D.A. Zones 4B to 7B.        -   Disease and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings spring through summer and crown            division throughout the year.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem shape.—Round.        -   Stem size.—4 to 5 inches in length and about ⅛ inch in            width.        -   Internode length.—Ranges from ⅛ to ¼ inch.        -   Stem color.—149B.        -   Stem surface.—Glabrous.        -   Branching habit.—Sparsely branched.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Acicular.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf base.—Truncate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Not conspicuous, color matched leaf color.        -   Leaf margins.—Smooth, young leaves papilose-ciliate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf presence and orientation.—Ascending.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous and waxy on upper and lower surface.        -   Leaf color.—Spring upper and lower surface; 11A, summer            upper and lower surfaces; 145A fall and winter upper and            lower surfaces: 145A with tips 46A.        -   Leaf size.—Young leaves; an average of ¼ inch length and            1/16 inch in width, mature leaves; an average of ¾ inches in            length and ⅛ inch width.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal, cymose, drooping and            sub-globose in bud, erect and flat in flower, branches short            and forked, dense many flowered, sparingly leafy.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 2 inches in width and 1            inch in length.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About one month.        -   Flower type.—Perfect, spreading, 6-starred.        -   Flower number.—30 to 40 flowers per cyme.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower buds.—Conical in shape, about ⅜ inch in length and ⅛            inch in diameter, ribbed surface, 151D in color.        -   Flower size.—About ¼ inch in length and ⅜ inch in diameter.        -   Peduncles.—Round, about 2 inches in length (to tip of            inflorescence), ⅛ inch in width, 145A in color, glabrous            surface.        -   Pedicels.—Round, about ¼ inch in length, 1/16 inch in width,            145A in color, glabrous surface.        -   Sepals.—6, spreading, ovate to lanceolate in shape, about ⅜            inch in length and ⅛ inch in width, 145A in color on both            surfaces, entire margin, acute apex, truncate base, glabrous            on both surfaces.        -   Petals.—6, spreading, lanceolate in shape, truncate base,            acute apex, entire margin, color of inner and outer surfaces            is 151C, glabrous on both surfaces.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistils.—6, held erect, about ⅜ inch in length, stigma 1/32            inch in width and 151D in color, styles ¼ inch in length and            151D in color, ovary 1/10 inch in diameter and 151D in            color.        -   Stamens.—10, about ⅜ inch in length, filament 151D in color,            anther 151C in color, pollen is sparse in quantity and 151D            in color.        -   Fruit.—Rounded with pointed tip, aggregate, range from 1/16            inch to ⅛ inch in length and ¼ inch in width, 151D in color,            seed production was not observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Sedum plant named‘Noniw’ as described and illustrated herein.